COVID SCAM ALERT

Branson Police Department has not yet received any reports of scams relating to COVID-19; however, scammers can be anywhere trying to take advantage of people during times of crisis.

Keep yourself safe from COVID-19 related scams by following these tips:

▪️ Do not provide any personal information to anyone regarding potential government stimulus checks for COVID-19. The government will NOT ask for your information.

▪️ There is no door-to-door testing for COVID-19 in our area. Testing is limited through public health officials and healthcare providers. If someone comes to your house offering door-to-door testing, call 911.

▪️ Don’t trust any offers about COVID-19 vaccinations. There are currently no products to treat or cure the disease in stores or online.

▪️ Be careful ordering supplies online – there will be scams from online sellers claiming to have products available that they do not have.

▪️Do your research with any charitable giving during this time — no legitimate organization will require donation through cash, gift card or wiring money. These are red flags!

▪️ Be cautious when receiving emails claiming to be from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). These organizations will be using their websites to keep information up-to-date.

▪️ Links in unsolicited emails and on social media could be dangerous. Do not click on any links or share links from anything but a trusted source, as they could install viruses or malware on your devices.

▪️ Hang up on any robocalls – pressing additional numbers could add you to a list for additional calls, even if it says it will remove you.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has information on coronavirus-related scams and more information to keep yourself safe. You can subscribe to alerts for the latest scam information: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing